Species Overview

Yellow/Spotted Seahorse (H. kuda)
Spotted Seahorse, Smooth Seahorse

Essential Facts

Australia; Cambodia; China; Fiji; France; India; Indonesia; Japan; Malaysia; Pakistan; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Federated States of Micronesia; Singapore; Solomon Islands; Thailand; Tonga; Hawaii; Vietnam
Typically found at 0 to 8 metres depth; maximum reported depth of 55 m. Varied habitat includes coastal bays and lagoons; seagrass and floating weeds; sandy sediments in rocky littoral zones; seagrass beds; branches; muddy bottoms; mangroves; estuaries; harbours; lower reaches of rivers.
Maximum adult height of 17 cm. Average size of 7 mm at birth.
Indiscriminate catch, habitat degradation and exploitation
Vulnerable (VU)
Hippocampus kuda is one of the more heavily exploited species in both traditional medicines and marine aquarium trades.

Yellow/Spotted Seahorse (H. kuda)

Yellow Seahorse (H. kuda). Photo by B. Balnis/Guylian Seahorses of the World 2010

Hippocampus kuda is one of the most valuable species in the trades for traditional medicine, curios and aquaria. The demand for this species is high due to its large size, smooth texture, and pale complexion when dried, all desirable qualities for traditional medicine purposes.

Redlist link http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/10075/0